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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. content — happy
  6. rock — a stone
  7. season — in sport
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. content — the amount
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. staff — employees
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rock — music
  18. mark — a trace
  19. staff — employees
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. staff — a stick
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a grade
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com